US2007 diesel fuel and emission standards confirmed by Whitman
28 February 2001
The new Republican US EPA Administrator Christie Whitman has confirmed that the EPA will move forward to implement on schedule the 2007 diesel emission and fuel rule.
The rule, adopted by Clinton administration in its last days, introduces the most stringent, worldwide, heavy-duty diesel engine emission standards, which are expected to require that all new highway truck and bus diesel engines be fitted with particulate filters and NOx catalysts effective model year 2007.
As a “technology enabler”, the rule also introduced a 15 ppm cap on sulfur in diesel fuel. This limit has been opposed by a significant portion of the US fuel industry, which opted for a 50 ppm specification instead. The EPA believes, ultra low sulfur fuel will enable such technologies as catalytic diesel particulate filters and NOx trap-catalyst devices.